Learned something new today and it isn't good.


I have been in this crazy hobby for over five decades and thought I knew most of the basic information regarding audio quality.

That was before this morning.

Today I learned about the practise of applying "pre-emphasis" to CDs that was around during the late '70's and early '80's. Apparently this practise was developed as a way of reducing the signal to noise in digital audio. The problem is this was a two-part process and required the CD player to have a "de-emphasis" capability to allow the disk to play properly. Without the application of de-emphasis, cd's would sound "bright".

My question would be, "Does everyone else know about this?"

If you do, "How do you deal with it?"

I still listen to CDs and this is not something I need in my life.

128x128tony1954

My Lumin X1 has this ´´De-Emphasis ´´ for 44KHz  CD

But I have never used it. Don’t know if it makes a real improvment .

The practice was stopped a long term ago.  Use an internet search engine to learn more.

@maxwave 

My Lumin D1 has it as well, but it is not an automated function. If you have a CD that requires "de-emphasization" you need to turn the function on in the software.

@onhwy61 

I know it has stopped. My concern is that many of the best quality CDs from that era are pre-emphasized. Specifically many Japanese versions. 

@tony1954 does your CD player have the de-emphasis circuitry?  If it doesn't, then those CDs will sound a little bit bright.